


The Mnyn and the M'ega

by setepenre_set



Series: M'ega Mythology [3]
Category: Megamind (2010)
Genre: M'ega mythology, Other, cultural background for Megamind's planet, cultural background for Minion's species
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-12 20:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13555194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/setepenre_set/pseuds/setepenre_set
Summary: The Mnyn, the piscine species who function as the caretakers and assistants of the blue people who call themselves the M'ega, have their own versions of the M'ega's mythological stories. What follows is their narrative of the planet's creation and the courtship of the main deities of the pantheon.





	1. Part I: Creation

Ivri-roh made the world and made the First People, the Mnyn. And when the Mnyn awoke to find themselves in the waters of the world, they knew themselves to be alive, and they were happy, and loved Ivri-roh.

And though Ivri-roh loved the Mnyn, and would sometimes swim and play with the school of Mnyn in the waters of the world, at other times, Ivri-roh was consumed a frantic and obsessive creative impulse and drew themself away from the Mnyn to feverishly shape and sculpt the Second People. And still other times, Ivri-roh suffered from bouts of hopeless despair, and drew themself away from the Mnyn even further, into the dark places of the ocean, where they brooded and sorrowed alone.

And in time the Mnyn became quite worried, for it is not good that anyone should isolate themself from the school, even if they are a god.

And they held a meeting to decide what was to be done about Ivri-roh.

They talked and talked, and as they talked, they came to realize since they did not know the reason for Ivri-roh’s sudden passions and isolations, they could not agree on any course of action to address the problem, for a school that does not know the location of the predator or prey will not know which way to swim.

And one Mnyn, Myn-the-Fantastic, said that they would go to Ivri-roh, and ask the source of their trouble.

Myn first asked Ivri-roh the question when Ivri-roh was happy, and Ivri-roh gave them no answer, which was very foolish, for pretending the shark is not behind you will not make it go away. Myn was patient with Ivri-roh, though, and stayed by their side.

Myn then asked Ivri-roh when Ivri-roh was frantic, and Ivri-roh gave them no answer, and spoke only of the Second People, and their creation. Myn was patient with Ivri-roh, though, and stayed by their side, and helped them in the shaping of the Second People.

When Ivri-roh grew sad again, and withdrew into the dark water, Myn followed, and asked Ivri-roh for the third time to name their sorrow, but Ivri-roh gave them no answer. Myn was patient with Ivri-roh, though, and would not leave Ivri-roh, no matter how they raged and wept.

And at last, when Ivri-roh was calm again, they told Myn their trouble, of their longing for the return of the beautiful shining being who had flashed like a falling star across the skies of Ivri-roh’s world, who had touched the waters of it, bringing it to life, before suddenly vanishing again into the dark.

And although Myn could not bring about the return of Ivri-roh’s beloved, there was comfort for Ivri-roh, nevertheless, in the telling.

And in this way, for the help and comfort of Ivri-roh, Myn and Ivri-roh were bound together for all time.

* * *

When the Bright Ones appeared in the sky of the world, Ivri-roh was overcome with joy. But they were overcome, as well, with shyness and with fear, for they had never spoken to anyone besides the Mnyn.

At last, though, Ivri-roh’s longing overpowered their fear, and they took a form like that of the other Bright Ones and ascended to greet them.

Worrying that their powers would weaken as they left their oceans, Ivri-roh refused to risk Myn ascending with them, in spite of all Myn’s urging to the contrary. So Myn watched in trepidation as Ivri-roh ascended to the sky.

When they returned, it was in anger, rather than joy, and they brought Alte-re with them. She, too, was angry, but she brought the Second People to life for Ivri-roh. And then Alte-re departed, and Ivri-roh remained hurt and angry.

Ivri-roh had made the M’ega in the image of Alte-re, but in nature the Second People resembled their creator, and suffered the same wild passions and impulses. The Mnyn saw this, and loved the Second People, and worried over them as one worries about young fry.

And in time some of the Mnyn came to love individual M’ega above the rest, as Myn loved Ivri-roh, and these Mnyn wished to care for and comfort their individual M’ega, as Myn cared and comforted Ivri-roh. So these Mnyn bound themselves to their M’ega, as Myn had bound themself to Ivri-roh.

When Alte-re drew the Second People away from the ocean and to the land, these bonded Myn followed them as best they could, into rivers and streams and marshes.

And thus the loss and sorrow of Ivri-roh was doubled.

In their rage and anger they prepared themself to ascend again to the Court of the Sky, and to demand the return of the M’ega.

Again Ivri-roh refused to risk Myn attempting to accompany them, in spite of Myn’s entreaties.

And when Ivri-roh returned from the Court of the Sky for the second time, they were filled, more than ever, with wrath. And they brooded, in the dark places of the ocean, on their hurt and loss and anger, and in the dark places of the ocean, they conceived of a plan.


	2. Part II: Courtship

“What are you making?” Myn asked Ivri-roh in trepidation, seeing that Ivri-roh was in the grip of one of their fits of manic creation.

“A net,” said Ivri-roh, “as the Second People make for the fish they catch and eat.”

“Why are you making a net?” Myn asked. “The fish come to you when they are called; you have no need of a net. Anyway, you don’t eat fish.”

Ivri-roh laughed, a glint of amusement and excitement in their eyes. And they told Myn what they planned to do.

“That is a terrible idea, _tekel_ ,” Myn said.

“Nonsense,” said Ivri-roh, “it’s brilliant!”

And they went through with their plan against Myn’s advice, capturing Alte-re with their net and bringing her down into the ocean, where they kept her.

* * *

 

“It’s very nice to meet you,” said Myn to Alte-re’s Mnyn, who had followed her down into the water.

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” said Guiding-Star, “although I have to admit it would be nicer in different circumstances.”

“I don’t see how you think this is going to help you,” Alte-re said to Ivri-roh.

“That makes two of us,” Myn muttered.

“I am making,” said Ivri-roh, “a _point_.”

“ _What_ point?” asked Alte-re.

Ivri-roh floundered for a moment, then drew themself up haughtily.

“ _A_ point!” they said.

Alte-re raised her eyebrows.

“There isn’t much point,” she said, “in making a point, if the person you’re making the point to _doesn’t understand what point you’re making._ ”

“Oh, I like her,” Myn said.

* * *

“It’s a comfort to know,” Guiding-Star said to Myn as Ivri-roh and Alte-re bickered over tea, “that it’s not just my _tekel_ who’s so difficult.”

Myn made a noise of agreement.

* * *

When Ivri-roh released Alte-re abruptly, washing her up onto the beach, Guiding-Star was washed up as well, and was quite disgruntled at having to return to the skies, as they had gotten accustomed to the water, and, being a fish, liked it.

Still, they assisted Alte-re as she returned to the court of the Bright Ones and put her ambitious sister Khel-tek, who had seized power in her absence, back in her place.

But though she had her freedom and her throne back, Guiding-Star could not help but notice that Alte-re seemed discontent, and wondered if she missed the water as well.

* * *

In the waters of the world, Ivri-roh was sad and quiet, and would not speak, even to Myn. And Myn worried, for they did not know how to comfort them.

When Ivri-roh disappeared, Myn was frantic, and searched for them everywhere, and found them nowhere. At last, exhausted by the search, and not knowing where else to go, they rested, trying to think. 

* * *

“Oh, dear,” said Guiding-Star, seeing Alte-re’s eyes flash with anger as Khel-tek threw the bound Ivri-roh at her sister’s feet.

Alte-re and Khel-tek fought, but Guiding-Star dove into the water, and found Myn. Together, they swam up out of the water and into the skies, towards where Alte-re still fought, and Ivri-roh, still bound, knelt before the throne.

“Please, excuse me,” said Guiding-Star politely, and swam off and bit Khel-tek on the ankle.

Myn swam to Ivri-roh, and floated before them protectively.

So the battle ended with Alte-re victorious, and Alte-re and Ivri-roh were united in the strange romantic pair bond that the M’ega call marriage.

But Ivri-roh was happy, and Alte-re was happy, and so the Mnyn were happy for them as well.

At this time, Alte-re also declared that she gave the Second People to themselves.

(Although, of course, this was quite silly, for as any Mnyn knows, the Second People had never belonged to anyone but the Mnyn.)

But Ivri-roh was happy, and the M’ega were happy, and so the Mnyn were happy for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> translator’s notes: The reader will note the tonal shift from formal to informal between the Mnyn creation myth and courtship myth—as previously mentioned, this is a common feature of M’ega literature and drama, and the M’ega and Mnyn consider it to be one of the main literary/dramatic forms of their culture.
> 
> Myn and Guiding Star address Ivri-roh and Alte-re as ‘tekel’. The nearest literal translation of tekel is “overlord”, but the connotation of the word for the Mnyn is closer to an expression of affection than subservience. Lacking a word to encompass both the literal meaning and the connotation, I have chosen to leave tekel in its original form.  
> handwritten at the bottom of the page: I can’t help but notice what seems to me an irreconcilable discrepancy between the M’ega and Mnyn versions of this myth—the M’ega version emphasizes the concept of belonging to oneself, and insists that the M’ega belong to no one, while the Mnyn version of the myth seem to take the idea of the M’ega belonging to the Mnyn as a given. I must remember to ask Vereshkai about this.
> 
> I asked Vereshkai to explain this to me, and they said that they think the discrepancy stems from a fundamental difference in the M’ega and Mnyn conceptions ‘belonging’. The Mnyn do not view ‘belonging to’ as synonymous with ‘ownership’—indeed, the Mnyn do not seem to think much of the idea of ownership in general; most of them keep very few personal possessions, though the Mnyn who live in very close contact with the M’ega are more likely to do so.
> 
> When I asked Vereshkai’s’ Mnyn about it, they looked amused and said “It’s like having a pet lutra. They have to make sure you know they could leave any time they liked—but they always come back to you in the end.”  
> ______________
> 
> (The Lutrinae are a domesticated species on M’ega. In appearance, a lutra resembles an otter; in temperament, they are much like something between an otter and a cat.)  
> 

**Author's Note:**

> ...to be continued.


End file.
